


Brothers a Universe Apart - Derrick and David

by pandakitty



Category: Homestuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-05-06 06:14:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5406086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandakitty/pseuds/pandakitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always been Derrick and David. Just them against the world. Through thick and thin, this strange pair of brothers always had each other's back. But they havent had the best of luck, with finding jobs and paying the bills, they are struggling to keep their home. With as much trouble they have when it was just them, what would happen if two kids are suddenly put into their lives?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just Us

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [brothers a universe apart](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/162335) by kidbunni. 



It’s always been just us. Me and David. There was never anyone else. We raised and protected each other, since there was no one to do it for us. School was bad, after school was worse. But we’re Striders. Striders never give up.

~~~~~~~

“Another fight, Derrick?” David spoke from his spot at the table, not even having to look up at his older brother. Derrick gave a dry laugh, dropping his tired body in a chair across from David. “Yeah. Sorry.” David shook his head at the other blonde, sliding his shades off his face.

“...” Derrick watched his brother, his lips pulled into a straight line. “How are the bills coming?” He asked after a moment, looking through all the papers spread out on the table. They both have been struggling to pay the bills for their apartment, since Derrick was the only one working.

“They’re… coming along, more or less.” David sighed, pushing a calculator away. “We should have be able to pay of the water and the rent, maybe the lights. I still don’t understand why you won’t let me-”

“You know why David. You’re not going out there again.” David opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by a ding. He stood and walked from the table to the microwave, pulling out a plate of leftover spaghetti. He grabbed two forks and sat back down. “Let’s just eat and get some sleep.”

Derrick nodded and they ate the food, David set the dishes in the sink and sighed. “Come on, you need to rest.” David turned to Derrick as he walked to the living room, to the futon they shared. Derrick pulled off his shirt and laid down on one side while David laid on the other side. They both were quiet for a moment.

“I can help you.” David finally spoke, not rolling over to look at his brother but stared up at the dark ceiling. “You don't have to do everything on you're own.”

Derrick sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I have everything under control David. You don't have to worry about me.”

That was the last thing that was said before they fell back into the silence then it was only a matter of seconds before Derrick heard a light snoring. He chuckled and finally looked over at his brother’s sleeping form. He shifted and kissed his forehead. “I can’t let you get hurt again. I am supposed to take care of you.” He smiled before laying down and fell asleep.


	2. Add Two More

Derrick sighed softly as he left his job, shivering from cold. He pulled the thin jacket tightly around his body trying to protect himself from wind. His feet were freezing from how thin the bottom of his shoes were, along with the snow that crunched under his steps. 

He couldn't afford to get sick, they still needed to pay the bills and didn't even have enough money for that. He sighed, lifting his head to look up at the forming moon and the twinkling stars as he walked, only to nearly fall when something bumped into his legs. He stumbled to keep himself from falling and looked down, his shaded eyes clashed with bright red eyes.

For a moment, Derrick thought he was looking down at an younger David. The ruby red eyes that were mostly covered by the shaggy, dark hair with a hint of blonde at the roots. There was bits of dirt and grime on his face, enough to almost made Derrick cringe.

The boy was breathing heavy and there was a loaf of bread tucked under his arm. They stared at each other for a moment before another boy came running back.

He was a splitting image of the first, just a bit taller than the first one, with a darker tint to his hair and amber eyes rather than rubies. Derrick, still shocked by the two look-alikes of him and his brother, turned and watch the two smaller bodies duck and dodge between the ocean of people. 

Derrick stood there for one, two, three seconds before turning and hurried after them. A clear answer wasn’t there, whether is was because they were kids, or that they reminded him of his childhood. Derrick barely kept them in his line of side before he saw what he feared, the two bolted down an alleyway.

No Derrick. Just walk away. He thought to himself. This wasn't the time to be noble. What could he do to help some street kids? He couldn't buy them food, or get them nice, warm beds to sleep in. He couldn’t even do that for his brother. But, it was the beginning of winter, it was gonna get cold. And he would never forgive himself if he hears about two kids found frozen to death.

He slowed his pace down and walked to the alleyway, just watching them for a bit. They were sitting down, using a piece of cardboard as a blanket. While, one of them was. The orange eyed kid wrapped it around the other, as if doing anything to protect him from the cold. Derrick felt a smile come onto his face. He could only assume they were brothers.  
“Here. Eat.” The kid spoke as he pushed the bread towards the red eyed one, only to have him shake his head. “No. You eat.” They stared at each other for a bit, both of them wore a look of determination on their faces. “You gonna eat Dave.”

Derrick cut in, stepping closer to them. “That one loaf isnt gonna keep you both full.” He quickly took a step away from them when he saw them jump and move away from him. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I just wanna help.”

Mini him opened his mouth to say something when the red eyed- Dave, grabbed his hand and smiled. “Dirk..” Dirk sighed and looked back at Derrick and nodded, standing then helped Dave onto his feet. 

Derrick smiled and stepped back, letting them walk first before taking a step to catch up with them. Dave was holding Dirk’s hand, in a way to keep him calm. Dirk didnt seem to eager in coming with him.

Derrick sighed lightly through his nose. David was gonna lose it when he came home with two kids, but he knew his little brother would have done that same thing. He looked down at the two. The did look a lot like Derrick and David when they were younger. That really scared him.


	3. I See My Brother In Him and Myself In You

Once Derrick got the boys home, he found that the heater had cut off. Making the inside of the apartment was just as cold as it was outside. Second, he found it empty. No David. Derrick, worried, searching the entire apartment, which took probably a minute, while the two just stood in the living room.

Derrick had half the mind to go back out and look for David but he couldn't just leave the two alone. Not with Dave looked at him with a hopeful face and Dirk glared at him with hateful look. He couldn’t leave them.

So, grabbing a small blanket that David used to use, he wrapped them both up, sitting them on the couch and went to the kitchen. He could hear them whisper to each other as he looked through the kitchen. They needed to eat something besides that bread that they shared on the way here.

His luck lasted through when he found some milk. It wasn’t a lot but it would have to due. He wasn’t going to let this kids starve like he knew all too well. Pouring the milk into two cups, he carried them back into the living room, kneeling in front of them, smiling.

“Here you go. I know it isn’t much, but I’ll get you something else soon. I promise.”

And hopefully, he would be able to keep that promise. He was still trying to keep that promise to David.

Dirk didn’t take the cup immediately, just stared at it and him. But Dave, smiling back and took the cup. It amazed Derrick, that these kids living on the the streets long enough that one of them had started to harden but the other, was still trusting. Hopefully, Dave didn’t lose that.

Dave held the cup, looking at Dirk with wide eyes. He trusted this man, but Dirk just didn’t. It wasn’t the first time they didn’t agree on something but it was the first time he had seen that look on Dirk’s face. He didn’t like it. But he stayed quiet, pressing closer against his brother and drank the milk. It made his stomach hurt, just like the bread had, but it also eased another pain. The pain that his stomach had started making months ago. Now, he felt like he could actually sleep.

And sleep was what he did. With half closed eyes, he handed the cup to the shades wearing man and curled up against his brother’s side, his arms wrapped around Dirk’s and held onto him, letting the familiar embrace of sleep take over him.

Dirk stared down at his brother, his hateful look melting into a small smile. He remembered Dave always being able to fall asleep quickly so knowing his brother was put at ease, made him relax.

But only until he looked at the other man, who was still watching them. “Why help us?” They have walked past thousands of people every day, most never even them the time of day. Some actually look at them and glared, kids shove push them and grownups sometimes yelled when they would run into them. Dirk remembered one old man who yelled and raised a hand to Dave for bumping into him. People weren’t kind. No one was. It the brothers job to watch out for watch other because no one else would.

So why was this man helping them? He wanted something. That was the only reason. And whatever he wanted, Dirk wasn’t going to let him take it.

“I saw my brother in yours. And myself in you. I couldn't just leave you in that alley. I could never forgive myself.” Derrick stood, setting Dave’s cup on the floor in front of the futon and smiled at Dirk. “I’m going to go run a bath for you two. My brother got the bill paid so there should be warm water.” With that, he pulled the blanket further around them and turned, disappearing down the hall.

Dirk turned his head as far as his little neck would go to watch him leave before looking back at the glass in his hands. So that man had a brother too. Dirk’s lips tightened into a line before lifted the cup and drank down the milk. He pulled away from Dave just enough to crawl to the edge of the couch and set the cup down before wrapping his arms around his brother and held him underneath the blanket it. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep too.


	4. One Sad, Messed Up, Perfect Family

Derrick sighed as he was kneeled on the bathroom floor, his hand over the side of the tub, waiting for the water to get warm. It had to. He wasn’t going to made those kids take a bath in cold water, not in this weather and not when the heater was broken.

As he waited, he listened. Never once did he hear the front door open. Which worried him. Where was David? David never left. Derrick was the one that worked, so where was David?

Finally, the water began to warm up and Derrick turned off the water when it got a third of the way full. With that, he should and walked back to the living room. He smiled when he saw the two curled up under the blanket, sleeping. 

He set on the side of the futon, lightly running his fingers through Dirk’s hair. He wiggled around before opening his eyes. “There’s a bath ready for you and your brother.” Derrick figured Dirk didnt trust him enough to take them there.

Dirk set up, rubbing his eyes before lightly shaking Dave awake. Once the red eyes boy was wake, Dirk slide of the futon with him, and pulled him down the hall, finding that bathroom. 

Derrick waited for a moment before following them, finding they were already in the bath. Dirk had grabbed the ripped cloth that they used as a washcloth and was washing Dave off. 

Derrick noticed that Dave had bright freckles underneath the dirt and grime that was on his face and the rest of his body. He moved closer, gently taking the cloth from Dirk’s hand and continued washing them off. Dirk didnt fight it.

After the bath, Derrick found a few things about the boys. One, Dave’s heard was honey blonde, not the light brown he first thought it was. And it was Dirk that had the dark hair, which looked like brown sugar. 

Once they were out, Derrick was quick the wrap them in two towels, his and David’s, and cleaned out the water. Then filled it again and cleaned their clothes. It wasn't much and definitely wouldnt keep them warm but they needed clothes. Derrick would just let them use to towels as blankets too. They were big around them.

With that, he got them dress and stood, about to head for the living room when Dave stopped him. Looking down at the kid, Dave had his arms raised up to him, wanting to be held. With the face he was making, he looked to much like David for him to say no.

And to keep Dirk from getting angry, Derrick picked them both up. And carried them into the living room. Just as the front door opened. He stood there, holding the two, staring at David, who had came in, carrying bags. 

“Derrick, I know you usually handle this but- are those kids?”

He was quick to set them down on the futon, grabbing the bags from David’s arms, eyes wide behind his shades. How did he pay for all of this? “Derrick-.”

“Wait.”

He turned, walking to the kitchen, putting the food up. Food. There was enough to last David a couple of days, and maybe even the kids. He was scared how David paid for all of this.

Speaking of David, he was still staring at the kids sitting on the futon, staring back at him. He saw the same thing that Derrick saw. Them. Everything that the kids were now, was what Derrick and David were once.

He was quick to hurry after his brother into the kitchen, trying to help him but was stopped. “How? David, how did you get all of this?” He chewed on his lip. “There was some money left over from the bills.” They both knew if that was true, it wouldn’t be enough. “And?”

“And.. a bit of the money you keep in that hole in the living room.”

Derrick swallowed thickly. “David, that was for you. To get you out of here.”

“And, I told you, I’m not going anywhere unless you’re with me.”

They stared at each other for a good two seconds before dropping into each other’s arms. “You had me worried… I came home and you were got.” Derrick mumbled into David’s hair, hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry, De… but what’s with the kids?” 

“Saw them run into an alleyway. Davey, I couldn’t leave them there.”

David nodding, knowing full well why Derrick did was he did. That was who his brother was. “Come on. They look like they could still eat and you really do. You can’t keep pushing your food to me.” David smiled, before going to the living room, taking the boys back into the kitchen, sitting them in the two chairs while David and Derrick stood. 

Derrick watched them all silently. David deserved much more than this. And the boys were just kids, they shouldn’t know the the pain of hunger. He sighed. He had to do something. For all of them.

After eating, Dave and Dirk curled back up on the futon together, sleeping. David was laying down, running his fingers through Dirk’s hair. Derrick was on the other side of Dave, smiling at them. “So what is this? Two more the the family?”

David chuckled. “I’m not letting go of them Derrick. I can’t.”

“Than it’s settled. Two more to this somewhat of a family.” 

David shook his head, curling up and wrapped an arm around them, and took Derrick’s hand. “This is the only family I want to be apart of. It’s perfect.” With that, he placed two small kisses on top of Dirk and Dave’s heads before curling up and fell asleep, still holding onto Derrick. 

Derrick, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep. He stayed up, just watching them. His family. One sad, messed up, perfect family.


	5. Protect The Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What even is this chapter? I'm so sorry for my writing lately :(

Some time has passed since then, Derrick and David have gotten into a routine of who watched the kids and who would cook a small amount of food for them. Just as how Derrick’s whole life had revolved around David, their lives now revolved around the twins.

The longer they were there, Dirk had started to loosen up around the two that had taken them in. He still didnt understand their reasons, but he had been thinking non-stop about that the man with golden eyes had told him. I saw my brother in yours. And myself in you. Sure he saw some major similarities between Dave and the other man, David, but he didnt understand anything between himself and the other one. But Dave seemed to like them both so Dirk behaved.

Derrick and David asked them both about their family but they never got really answers. Every time they’re ask about the twin’s family, they just got confused, blank look in return. It was as if they couldn’t remember. Or maybe they don’t have anything to remember. David and mentioned to Derrick in hushed tones while the twins were eating.

Derrick did his work, looking around the alley that he found the twins for some type of clubs but there was nothing. Until a few weeks later, when he heard some coworkers talking about there being a search party for two kids.

“I heard that they sneaked into the city.”

“I was told that they were abandoned by their parents, who were on the run.”

A lot of the other workers had their own ideas but Derrick stopped listening. That was the first day he asked his boss to leave early, running out of building when he could and continued to run all the way home.

By the time he got home, Derrick was out of breath but that was barely on his mind, he just had to find the twins. David and he had already agreed that those kids were apart of their family, he knew neither one of them could be willing to give them up but how couldn’t they keep them if any of that was true.

Those thoughts were forgotten when two sets of short little arms wrapped around his waist. The worry slipped away as he bent down to hug them as Dave went on and on about their day with David while Dirk just clinged to him. He picked them up and moved them to the couch, letting them talk as David came in the living room from the kitchen. “You’re home early.” David knew something was going on, just like how he knew when Derrick was in trouble. He knew his brother.

But they both knew that it wasn’t something to talk about now. They could wait until the twins fell asleep.

So they went along the rest of their day as normal, having to come up with a few things to do something together since Derrick was never home this early. Dave decided that he wanted to color while Dirk wanted to play with bits of metal he had pulled loose off of the fire escape. Derrick set on the couch watching them while David sat on the floor.

It wasn’t long before the twins found themselves falling asleep, Dirk moved over to David and snuggled against his side. That was Derrick’s cue. He stood and and picked up Dave, laying him on the couch, not bothering to pull out the futon. In a matter of seconds, Dave curled up against Dirk and they were both asleep.

David stood there, watching them for a moment before moving to the kitchen, grabbing Derrick’s arm and pulled him along with him. “What happened.”

Derrick stayed quiet for a second before telling him everything that he had heard. “I don’t think all of it is true, but if there is are people looking for them… David, I can’t let them go.” He sighed, pressing his back against the wall and ran his fingers through his hair.

David chewed on his lip before hugging his brother, resting his forehead on his shoulder. “I know De… but they are being looking for and we get caught holding them, who knows what would happen.”

They both stayed quiet, both tried to think of way for this to work.

“What if we leave?"


	6. Risky Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I even say how much I don't like this chapter? I don't know...

Leaving had always been on Derrick’s mind, but it was always about David leaving. He always thought that if he worked hard enough, soon there would be enough money to get David out of the place he was forced to stay in, but never once did he think that he would be going with his little brother. Or that they would being talk about this for the safety for two kids.

Leaving was a big decision, since they didn’t have anywhere else to go and he didn’t want his brother or the twins back on the streets, he would do whatever it took to keep the from happening. 

“David, you know we can’t. There isn’t enough money for you to leave and get somewhere safe, much less the four of us.” But it was the best idea they had, to keep the twins safe.

“I know De, but what else can we do? We can’t have the twins taken away, and we won’t leave without you.” David argued, his voice soft to keep from waking the twins but his tone was strong, meaning that he wasn’t gonna fight about this because his mind was made up. 

“Okay. Maybe we could sell a few things, I could pull a few more hours at work but I don’t know how much that’ll get us.” Derrick sighed, pressing his back against the wall and ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes shut.

“Maybe we won’t have too.”

Looking up, Derrick narrowed his eyes at David. What was he getting at? “David?”

David sighed, shifting around a bit. “I took the twins to the small library down the street a few days ago. I found some stuff on this machine, built a while ago but still useable, but it’s being kept in storage. If we can get to that machine, we can all leave together without anyone after us.”

Derrick sighed, rubbing his head. Who knew if this could actually work, and even if it did, they would still have to find it and that would most likely involve breaking in somewhere.

“David, I don’t know about this, there are too many risks about this and if we get caught, not only will the twins be taken away but we both would be to, and who knows if they'd put us together."

"It's stored in the old Lalonde manor." David smiled.

Derrick stopped talking, looking at his brother before sighing. "...Okay, fine. We'll go tomorrow now let's get some sleep." He took David and they went back to the futon. For once, Derrick slept while David stayed awake, thinking about the machine and trying to make a plan but then his thoughts fell on the Lalonde story.

The Lalonde line was a family filled with smart women but no trace of males. The only Lalonde that was ever seen with a male was decades ago, by the name of Roxanna Lalonde. A brilliant woman who found herself at the end of the aisle, looking at a man named James. After those two, James was the only male ever mentioned, no one else. It was strange because there were many more Lalondes that came after; all girls, all smart, no boys. And that continued until that line just stopped and the last known Lalonde, Roxy, was found in the manor, dead from alcohol poisoning and papers thrown around the room with complete desgines of a time machine. 

David sighed and shut his eyes, curling up on his side. He didn't need to think of all that not because he'd never get to sleep. And he definitely needed that.


End file.
